My Twitter Problem
Names matter. Name your service something like “Yahoo” or “Google,” and you’ve made yourself fun to talk about. Pick a name that’s not as fun, and you’ve made it less likely that we’ll want to talk about you.
That leads me to my Twitter problem. Ever since Twitter’s emergence, I’ve resisted it. I’ve said it’s because Twitter is too labor intensive. I’ve said it’s because it doesn’t allow for substantive content or conversations. I’ve even said that “all the wrong people” like Twitter. Now there’s some validity in all of those things (well, maybe not the last one), but after thinking it through the truth is that all of these reasons are overshadowed by my real Twitter problem.
I hate Twitter primarily because I hate saying “Twitter.” Or “tweet.” Or, god forbid, “tweeple.”
I honestly cringed just typing that last one.
I try to work around it. I refer to “Twitter posts,” and “Twitter users.” I use air quotes when using Twitter terms to make it seem as if I’m referring to someone else, and not myself, using Twitter terms. I mumble. I giggle.
But mostly, I avoid talking about Twitter.
I suspect it’s not just me. I went to see a show at The Second City in January, and Twitter was the subject of a lot of mockery. When the word “tweet” was used as punch line no one laughed harder than I did. And for a minute, I was surrounded by people who shared my Twitter problem—others who understood that there are certain terms grown men just shouldn’t use.
However, when I wanted to tell the world about my vindication, I immediately went to Twitter. I typed in a post, and shared it with my contacts. But I most certainly didn’t “tweet,” and I DEFINITELY didn’t share it with any “tweeple.” After all, I may use Twitter, but I don’t have to like it.
Image credit: Only Connect
Sheesh. What is your twoblem? Maybe you need an attitwude adjustment!
:-P
Seriously, though. I can understand that. Sometimes when I use Twitter for real, professional things, I bring it up and cringe a bit when I say “Yesterday I tweeted about…”. I think in the nonprofit arts community, it’s a little bit more easygoing, but I can see where someone in, saw, the law community or PR might see that as an deterrence.
Anthony, maybe you are too cool to be twool?
Twitter never bothered me as much as Yahoo! or HotMail did. I suppose you can connect Twitter to Twits but Yahoo! sounds like someone with a 2nd grade, barely passing education, and HotMail, well it sounds like porn.
I overheard your skepticism as you were talking to a client recently about how long Twitter will be around, but for now, it is continuing to grow despite the funky name.
And go ahead and do your air quotes, whatever makes you comfortable.
Regarding using Twitter but not liking it… I feel the same way about Facebook.
Aye, I understand completely. The name is too frivolous. Google is borrowed from a math term which lends it weight. Flickr is sort of relevantly onomatopoetic, like the sound a slide projector makes switching between slides. The English word Twitter means exactly what it’s criticized for though — speaking without point or substance. They should have used the Old High German word that the English Twitter is derived from — Zwizzirōn. Now, that’s cool sounding and you can tell people you zwizzed last night… oh wait… maybe Twitter is better.
The name of some services we use are quite insane. A lot of these services that are provided though, were not really aimed at certain professions, and more towards the tech community. I think that maybe as understanding of the service was gained, the service adapted to the people using it.